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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · ruler · mine · fork · lie · cap · capital · dip

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. capital — money
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. capital — a city
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. dip — to sink
  24. capital — a big letter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com